Memorial  from  the  General  Assembly 
of  N.C.     to  the  Congress  of  the  U»S. 
Jan,  25 ,  1824 

*  •  * 

Constitution  of  the  Society  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  N«C.  for  the 
Furtherance  of  the  gospel 


DUKE 
UNIVERSITY 
LIBRARY 

Treasure  ligom 


GIFT  OF 

Benehan  Cameron 


i 


OF  THE 

SOCIETY  OF  THE  UNITED  ^RETHREN 

IN 


FOR  THE 


FURTHERANCE  OF  THE  GOSPEL 


AMONG  THE  HEATHEN. 


SALISBURY: 
PRINTED   BY   PHILO  WHITE. 

&%&JM$  1823. 


PREAMBLE. 


Whereas  we,  the  subscribers,  are  fully  convinced  of  the  christian 
zeal  and  godly  concern  wherewith  the  Evangelical  Church,  known 
by  the  name  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum,  or  United  Brethren,  has  at  all 
times  endeavored  to  spread  the  saving  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  to  carry  the  same  even  to  the  remotest  Heathen  nations  ;  for 
which  purpose,  also,  in  this  part  of  the  world,  missions  among  sev- 
eral Indian  tribes,  and  other  Heathen,  were  begun  by  said  Church, 
and  with  more  or  less  success  continued  many  years  ;  and  as  we 
are  members  of  said  Church,  which  has  the  salvation  of  man  so 
near  at  heart,  we  cannot  but  most  ardently  wish  to  further  this  great 
work  of  God,  the  conversion  of  the  Heathen,  by  all  just  and  possi- 
ble means. 

Therefore  we  have  resolved,  in  the  name  of  God,  to  form  our- 
selves into  a  Society,  under  the  name  of  "  A  Society  of  the  United 
\Brethren  in  North- Carolina,  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Gosfiel  among 
\the  Heathen;"  and  do  herewith  unanimously  agree  upon  the  fol- 
lowing articles,  as  stated  rules  of  the  Society  : 

Ik**'  * 


At 


CONSTITUTION. 

ARTICLE  I. 

This  Society,  being  formed  of  members  of  the  Brethren** 
Church,  shall  have  its  fixed  seat  at  Salem,  in  Stokes  County, 
in  the  State  of  Nirth-Carolini,  where  the  Board  of  Directors 
shall  meet,  and  the  general  meetings  shall  be  held. 

.     ARTICLE  II. 

All  Bishops,  Presbyters,  and  Deacons  of  the  Brethren's 
Church  in  North-Carolina,  while  in  office  ;  and  all  Bishops, 
Presbyters,  and  D-acons  of  said  Church  in  North-Carolina, 
reported  by  the  Directors  to  be  superanuated,  or  to  be  not 
in  actual  service  by  reason  of  their  infirmity  ;  and  all  Brethren 
employed  in  offi  e,  or  at  missions,  by  the  Directors  of  the 
Brethren's  congregations  in  North- Carolina,  are,  as  such,  mem- 
bers of  this  Society.  Others  may,  upon  their  desire,  or  on 
the  recommendation  of  other  members,  be  received  as  mem- 
bers, with  the  consent  of  the  Society. 

ARTICLE  m. 

Only  such  members  of  the  Society  who  are  members  of  the 
Brethren's  Church,  have  sea:  and  vote  in  the  Society,  and  are! 
considered  as  actual  members. 

Besides  such,  the  Society  may  receive,  as  honorary  mem- 
bers, persons  of  other  churches  and  denominations,  who  arel 
well-wishers  to  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel  among  thej 
Heathen  ;  such  are  to  be  admitted  to  the  meetings  of  the  So- 
ciety, and  may  assist  in  the  deliberations,  but  have  no  vote. 

ARTICLE  IV, 

As  the  object  of  this  Society  is  to  assist,  by  contributions, 
such  missions  as  are  or  shall  be  established  by  the  Directors 
of  the  Brethren's  Church,  therefore  at  every  yearly  general 
meeting  a  collection  towards  the  funds  or  disbursements  of  the 
Society  shall  be  made,  to  which  every  member  shall  contribute 
a  sum,  agreeably  to  his  ability  or  inclination. 

ARTICLE  V. 

For  constant  Directors  of  this  Society,  we  choose,  constitute 
and  appoint  those  Brethren  who  are  appointed  to  be  Directoni 


5 


of  the  Brethren's  congregations  in  North-Carolina,  and  their 
missions  in  the  adjacent  parts,  as  well  as  their  successors  in 
office  ;  together  with  three  assistants,  to  he  chosen  by  the  So- 
ciety yearly  at  their  general  meeting,  by  a  majority  of  the 
votes  of  the  members  present,  from  the  number  of  the  actual 
members,  which  shall  be  called  the  Board  of  Directors, 

ARTICLE  VI. 

At  every  annual  general  meeting,  the  Society  shall  make 
choice  of  a  President,  who  is  to  be  chosen  from  the  constant 
Directors,  by  a  majority  of  votes  of  the  members  present.  In 
case  of  absence  on  the  part  of  the  President,  or  his  inability 
to  attend  and  preside,  the  Directors  shall  appoint  a  President 
pro  tempore. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

The  constant  and  assistant  Directors  shall  yearly  select,  nom- 
inate and  appoint  a  Secretary  of  the  Society,  who,  by  virtue  of 
his  appointment,  shall  be  a  Director  ;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
the  Directors  to  make  the  selection  of  a  Secretary,  not  from 
their  own  body,  but  from  the  number  of  the  other  actual  mem- 
bers. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

The  Directors  shall  annually,  from  their  body,  appoint  a 
suitable  person  to  officiate  as  Treasurer  and  Book-keeper,  who 
shall  annually  give  to  the  Society  a  regular  and  correct  account 
of  all  receipts  and  disbursements. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

The  Directors  of  the  Society  shall  cause  to  be  communica- 
ted yearly  to  the  Society  a  general  account  of  the  progress  of 
the  Brethren's  missions  under  the  special  superintendance  of 
the  Directors  of  the  Brethren's  missions  in  North-Carolina, 
and  as  much  as  possible  of  the  missions  of  the  Brethren  gen- 
erally. 

ARTICLE  X. 

The  general  meeting  of  the  Society  shall  convene  yearly  on 
the  first  Thursday  in  October  ;  but  the  President,  with  the  as  - 
sent of  a  majority  of  the  Directors,  may,  if  the  concerns  of 
the  Society  shall  require  it,  call  an  extra  meeting  of  the  So- 
ciety. 


6 


ARTICLE  XL 


IP 


ft 


All  contributions  for  the  benefit  of  the  Society,  and  all  do 
nations  and  bequests  to  the  Society,  shall  at  all  times,  and  for- 
ever, be  and  remain  appropriated,  secured,  made  use  of,  and 
expended,  for  and  to  the  support  of  the  missions  of  the  Breth- 
ren's Church  among  the  Heathen,  with  the  consent  of  this 
Society. 

And  each  and  every  member  of  this  Society,  for  himself 
and  his  heirs,  thereby  expressly  renounces  all  and  every  claim 
or  claims  to  the  property  of  the  Society  ;  and  promises,  that  if 
any  donation  or  bequest  to  the  Society,  or  any  of  the  Society's 
property,  possessions,  or  effects  whatsoever,  shall  be  intrusted 
to  his  hands,  or  if  his  name,  separately,  or  jointly  with  others, 
shall  be  made  use  of  in  trust  for  the  Society,  he  and  thev  will 
faithfully,  and  without  reserve,  perform  and  fulfil,  at  all  times, 
such  orders  and  directions  respecting  the  property  thus  intrust 
ed  to  him  or  them  aforesaid,  as  the  Society  by  the  Directory  ] 
shall  think  proper  to  give. 

ARTICLE  XII. 

As  we  have  no  other  view  or  aim,  than  the  furtherance  and 
propagation  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  among  the  poor 
benighted  heathen,  and  esteem  it  a  high  privilege  to  support 
that  praiseworthy  work  to  the  best  of  our  abilities,  being  con- 
strained to  it  by  the  love  of  Christ, — the  board  of  Directors 
and  officers  of  the  Society  renounce  forever  all  demands  and 
claims  for  salaries  or  rewards  for  their  services,  and  promise 
to  do  all,  what  they  may  do,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Society,  for 
Christ's  sake,  gratis. 

Provided,  nevertheless,  that  all  and  every  such  contingent 
expenses  which  shall  be  necessarily  incurred  by  the  board  of 
Directors  and  officers  aforesaid,  or  any  of  them,  on  the  busi- 
ness of  the  Society,  shall  at  all  times  be  defrayed  by  the  So- 
ciety. 

ARTICLE  XIII. 

Application  by  or  from  any  person  or  persons,  to  be  admit- 
ted to  this  Sosiety,  is  to  be  made  at  least  four  weeks  before  a 
general  meeting  of  the  Society,  to  the  board  of  Directors, 
who,  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  first  consider  whether  the  ob- 
ject of  the  Soci~*y  will  be  promoted  by  such  admission,  and  if 
in  their  opinion  this  is  likely  to  be  the  result,  the  Directos 
shall,  at  the  next  general  meeting,  propose  such  person  or  per- 
sons for  admittance,  when  and  where  a  vote  is  to  be  taken  sep- 


7 

arately,  and  if  any  person  is  approved  of  by  two-thirds  of  the 
members  present,  he  is  admitted  as  a  member  of  this  Society. 

In  case  of  a  negative,  the  person  objected  to  may  be  again 
proposed  at  a  future  general  meeting,  under  the  same  rules  as 
before  9tated,  provided  the  cause  of  objection  shall  have  been 
removed. 

ARTICLE  XIV. 

As  every  member  is  at  liberty  to  withdraw  from  the  Society, 
the  Society  also  is  entitled  to  the  right  of  excluding  any  mem- 
ber whenever  it  is  found  necessary  ;  provided,  nevertheless, 
that  no  such  exclusion  shall  take  place  but  by  a  previous  vote 
Df  the  Directors,  and  the  consent  of  two-thirds  of  the  voting 
members  present  at  a  general  meeting. 

Persons  who  have  been  excluded  in  the  manner  aforesaid, 
jr  who,  by  separation  from  the  Brethren's  Church,  have  ceas- 
id  to  be  members  of  this  Society,  shall  not  be  re-admitted  as 
nembers  of  the  same,  unless  it  be  by  an  election  in  the  same 
aray  as  new  members  are  admitted. 

ARTICLE  XV. 

Every  member  who  shall  fail  to  contribute  any  thing  to- 
wards the  funds  or  disbursements  of  the  Society,  for  the  full 
pace  of  three  years,  shall,  after  having  been  duly  notified  by 
me  of  the  officers,  be  deemed  to  have  withdrawn  from  the 
Society. 

ARTICLE  XVI. 

When  new  members  are  received,  the  Constitution  or  sta- 
ed  rules  of  the  Society  are  to  be  communicated  to  them,  and 
ach  actual  and  voting  member  is  to  subscribe  his  name  there- 
3,  in  testimony  of  his  readiness  to  abide  by  and  to  observe 
hem. 

ARTICLE  XVIL 

The  Society  may  in  future  amend  or  alter  these  articles,  and 
i  d"pt  new  articles  and  regulations,  if  circumstances  require  it; 

rovided  that  such  proposed  amendments  or  alterations  be  not 
.  ontrary  to  the  spirit,  meaning,  and  intent  of  this  constitution, 
|  ->mprehended  in  the  before  recited  articles.    But  this  Con- 
i  itution,  comprised  in  the  recited  articles  hereby  agreed  upon 
id  accepted,  can  be  altered  or  amended  only  after  the  most 
iature  deliberation,  and  by  the  approbation  of  two-thirds  of 
ie  members  present  at  a  general  meeting :    and  when  any 


amendment,  alteration  or  addition  is  made,  it  shall  be  :n  con- 
form ty  to  the  constitution  f  the  Brethren's  church,  and  con- 
sistent with  the  design  and  intent  of  this  Society.  And  thai 
the  intended  amendments,  alterations  or  additions  may  b< 
maturely  examined  oy  the  D  rectors,  and  every  member  of  th< 
Society,  the  subj  -ct  shall  bt  first  proposed  in  a  general  meet- 
ing, and  communicated  to  *iuh  members  as  may  be  absent 
and  in  the  next  succeeding  general  meeting  it  shall,  be  consid 
ered,  and  may  be  brought  to  a  determination. 


